


Revolving Door

by orsumfenix



Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Conversations, Gen, Pre-Canon, Thought Processes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 04:13:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28504287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orsumfenix/pseuds/orsumfenix
Summary: It'd only take a few seconds.Hey Juu-nii, what's the Illuminati?And Juuzou will know, because Juuzou knows goddamn everything.Renzou opens his mouth to ask, then snaps it shut.
Relationships: Shima Renzou & Shima Juuzou
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	Revolving Door

**Author's Note:**

> based on a concept doodlenainers.tumblr.com had

There's a business card burning a hole in Renzou's pocket. 

He's had it since the cute girl gave it to him and still hasn't decided what to do. It's fishy to the point of being hilarious. Maybe he should wait to call with Bon and Koneko so it can be a prank call. Then again, Bon can be a real stick in the mud and even Koneko would want to tell someone. 

By the time he's sitting with Juuzou the urge to ask is getting unbearable. It'd only take a few seconds. _Hey Juu-nii, what's the Illuminati?_ And Juuzou will know, because Juuzou knows goddamn everything. 

Renzou opens his mouth to ask, then snaps it shut. Juuzou doesn’t notice.

He’s supposed to be doing homework. Problem is that it’s so goddamn boring. Bon invited him round to do it there but last time he did that Bon actually forced him to do it and wouldn’t let him leave until he did. Awful, terrible, not happening again. So this is the solution. Sit at home Actively Not Working for hours on end.

He can feel the card in his pocket.

“Hey Juu-nii,” Renzou says. “What’s…the Exorcist cram school like?”

Juuzou looks thoughtful. Not that weird for him, definitely would be weird for Kinzou.

“Hard work,” Juuzou says at length. “It takes a lot of dedication. But you’ll make friends for life.”

“I already have friends for life.”

“You’ll make more. Unless you scare them away flirting.”

Renzou pouts. “No fair!” His fingers curl in his pocket. The edges of the card dig in. “But you liked it, right?”

“Right. But my class was bigger than yours will be. I don’t know if that’ll work in your favour or not.” Juuzou rubs his lip with his thumb. “It’s more attention, but less support. And I doubt they’ll let your laziness slip through the cracks.”

“Bon’s extra enough that I can get away with laziness.”

“Not in a battle you can’t.”

Maybe putting the card in his pocket wasn’t the best idea. Now it’s pressing against his leg and his hand’s all warm.

“I met a girl today,” Renzou says. “She was cute.”

“Did she like you?”

“Must’ve done. She gave me -” _tell him, ask him,_ “- her number.”

“Her number, huh?” Juuzou’s got this face like he either thinks it’s a lie or that Renzou’s been pranked. “What, was she blind?”

“She was wearing glasses.”

“So yes.”

“Glasses fix your vision, Juu-nii, everyone knows that. Jeez, I thought you were supposed to be smart.”

“I am smart. This girl clearly isn’t. She must’ve had bad taste to go after you.” Actually, targeting Renzou of all the Shimas is excellent taste. She went for the one who might actually cave. “You gonna call her?”

 _We can give you a job,_ she said. The Illuminati’s number is printed across. All he has to do is call and say his name and they should tell him the rest. Who the fuck they are and what the fuck they want. Surely they can’t want as much as his family. Surely he can be more himself with any organisation but the Myouda.

But running off to a group he’s never heard of is maybe a bad idea. Probably is. Okay, definitely is, and the fun of it might not outweigh the risk.

_Hey Juu-nii, what’s the Illuminati?_

Odds are it’s just a prank, anyway. The girl’s weird way of getting him to call her. Or a joke cult thing. Could be a test from Dad, trying to see if he’ll report it back or not.

Renzou’s all ready to ask when Juuzou says: “Been doing your training?”

He stops where his hand is holding the card out in the open. Juuzou isn’t looking. Apparently his book is more important.

Renzou stares at the card.

“Yeah.”

“Every day?”

“Mm hmm.”

“Somehow,” Juuzou says, “I don’t believe you.”

Juuzou looks up right as Renzou shoves the card away. It feels like it’s on fire. It’s so crumpled, and considering it’s made of pretty thick material that’s impressive.

“I’ve been training enough,” Renzou says. Juuzou does not look impressed. “I don’t see how it’s any business of yours.”

“It’s my business because I don’t want you to get hurt because you were slacking off.”

“Oh, really?” Renzou leans back, peers out from under his fringe. He needs a haircut so bad. It keeps getting in his eyes and he has to do this weird squinty thing and if a girl sees him do that it’s over before it’s even begun. “What if I get hurt _during_ training? Wouldn’t that kind of defeat the point?”

“Training is to make you strong,” Juuzou presses. “So you can defend yourself and your charges. You have a duty, Ren. You can’t let it slide.”

The thing Renzou wants to say the most is _don’t call me Ren when you’re telling me off_. The thing he wants to say second is _you’re not my dad and I’m sick of hearing him say all this to me, too._ The thing he wants to say third is _I don’t understand why you’re more concerned about the state of my duties than the state of me_. And fourth?

_Hey Juu-nii, what’s the Illuminati?_

Renzou grins and tilts his head back. “Yeah, yeah, responsibilities, blah blah, heard it all before. I’m gonna go hang out at Bon’s.”

There's a business card burning a hole in Renzou's pocket. He doesn’t tell Juuzou.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!! :)


End file.
